Vermiculite processing machine



W. H. D. HINCHMAN June 11, V1940.

` VERMIGLITE PROCESSING lMACHINE 44 sheets-sheet 1 Filed March 2. 1938 June 1l, 1.940. w. H.'D. HlNcHMAN `2,203,821 v VERHICULITE PROCESSING MCHINE Filed llarch 2, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEYS June 11, 1940.

w. H. D. HINCHMAN vEnnIcLn-a PRocEssINe ummm:

Filed'llarch 2, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I nlllllll'l [11% Patented June 11, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE i V 2,203,821 v Y vEaMlcULrTE PROCESSING MAoHINE 4Application March 2, 1938, Serial No. 193,583

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a vermiculite process- .ing machine.

This invention is particularly concerned with an apparatus for expanding or exfoliating fragments of vermiculite,I for separating the stones from the exfoliated vermiculite, for separating the smaller fragments of exfoliated vermiculite from the larger, and for classifying according to size these fragments of exfoliated vermiculite. It is old in the art to crush vermiculite into fragments of whatever commercial size desired and thereafter heating these fragments to the proper' temperature to expand or exfoliate them. Exfoliated vermiculite is relatively fragile. If the fragments are broken or comminuted into smaller fragments and dust which, in some instances, are commercially less desirable.

`It is an object of this invention to produce a' simple, economical, and ellicient apparatus and method for separating the dust and stones from the fragments of exfoliated vermiculite with practically no breaking or comminuting of the same. This object has been achieved generally v by passing the exfoliated vermiculite fragmen tary material as it comes from the expander across an air stream which carries awaythe smaller fragments and the dust, diverts the fragments of vermiculite from the direction in which they dust and foreign material, such as stones or crude vermiculite ore, from the exfoliated vermiculite 45 fragments. v

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the expander and elevating ccnveyer for the expanded vermiculite.

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view through the 50 blower pipe and the dust and stone eliminator showing the gate valve and hurdle over which the exfoliated vermiculite travels.

Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 are sectional views respectively along the lines'5-5, 6 6, 1-1 and 8-,8 of Il! Fig. 2.

expanded vermiculite is not handled carefully, the.

Exfoliated vermiculite is used in various wellknown sizes generally varying in size from such 'that will pass through a half inch mesh downwardly to dust. The crude vermiculite ore is rst crushed or ground to fragments of whatever size 6 desired (for example, fragments sumciently small to pass through a quarter inch mesh) and then this crude ore is heated to exfoliate the same.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, there is shown a device for 'expanding the fragments of crude exl0v foliated vermiculite. 'I'he crude crushed ore is dum-ped into a hopper I from which it is fed ,by means of a screw 2 to a mechanical elevator 3.

The mechanical elevator 3 is'preferably of the bucket elevator type.- The elevator 3 dumps the 15 crude ore to the inclined chute l down which the ore passes and is discharged into a stack 5. The stack 5 is provided with a plurality of downwardly inclined baffles 6 positioned one above the other from the top to the bottom of the stack 5. The 20 stack 5 is provided with a lining l of any suitable refractory brick. The stack is provided with an opening 8 in the wall thereof in which is seated the burner block 9. The burner block 9 is provided with an opening It through which is passed 25 the fuel outlet nozzle of any suitable type of fuel oil burner diagrammatically shown at li. p

The oil burner is provided with a blower I2 for supplying air under pressure to the nozzle of the burner. As the crushed vermiculite crude ore passes in a zigzag path from one baille 6 on to the next baille beneath it, the crude vermiculite fragments are heated by the burner to the temperature required to properly exfoliate or expand the same. The exhaust gases from the furnace pass upwardly through the pipe I3 into the enlarged chamber it where the speed of the air current is materially diminished thereby permitting any exfoliated vermiculite which is carried upwardly through the pipe to separate from the exhaust gases and fall down the discharge pipe I5 on tothe feeder chute it leading from the bottom of thestack 5 to the' chain and bucket elevator generally designated il. `The exhaust gases from the furnace then pass upwardly out of the cyclone chamber or collector i4 through the stack I8 to atmosphere. y

When the vermiculite fragments reach the bottom of the stack 5 substantially all of the ore l p has been expanded. However, there is still some crude unexpanded or incompletely expanded vermiculite, the amount depending upon the eiliciency of the expanding furnace. Then, too, there must be separated. The expanded vermiculite, including the foreignmaterl'al, passes down the chute I6 where it is picked up by the chain and bucket elevator I1, elevated vertically, and then delivered into the chute I8 which is preferably in the 'form of a sheet metal pipe. The bucket conveyer I1 is enclosed within the closed housing I9 which is provided with an opening through which the expanded vermiculite flows from the chute I8 into the conveyer buckets 28. The housing I9 alsocommunicates with the chute i8 and the pipe 2| which leads from the upper end of the housing I9 into the enlarged cyclone type of expansion chamber 22 whichv is similar in construction to the cyclone chamber I4.

The expanded vermiculite can be propelled through the chute I8 in any suitable manner. However,- bearing in mind that the exfoliated very miculite is fragile and that it is desirable to subjecty it to as little comminuting, breaking or grinding action as possible, thereforethe means for propelling the expanded vermiculite along the chute I8 should do so gently. A simple, economical and gentle manner for propelling the exfoliated vermiculite along chute I8 is by gravity.

panded vermiculite to jump-over the hurdle 24,

asdescribed below, because, as above explained, the exfoliated vermiculite should not be subjected to any harsher or rougher handling than is necessary to preserve its original expanded size.`

Referring to Fig. 2, the pipe I8 leads downn wardly where it is joined to and communicates with the classifier 23. The pipe I8 is provided with an elongated opening 25. preferably in its upper wall. An enlarged housing 26 is mounted upon and fixed to the pipe I8 over the opening 25. This housing 26 cooperates with this portion of the pipe I8 to form an enlarged chamber 28 which acts asian eliminator of the dust and stones from the expanded vermiculite. The housing 26 is provided with a fine wire mesh 21 which separates the lower ortion of the chamber 28 from theupper portio of the chamber.

The wire mesh 21 is preferably sufficiently ne to permit the exfoliated vermiculite dust to pass through the same. However, the mesh of the screen 21 will be determined largely by the size of the largest dust or ne fragments of exfoliated vermiculite that one desires to eliminate or separate from the main body of the expanded vermiculite.- I

The bottom wall of the pipe I8 is provided with an opening 29which is controlled by a sliding gate valve 38 secured to the bottom of the pipe I8 by a wing nut 3| and bolt 32 which slidably engages the slit in the elongated slot 33. Thus, by adjusting the slide 38 the opening 29 can be completely closed or opened to whatever extent desired depending upon the several variablefactors, such as the speed at which the exfoliated vermiculite 34 is traveling, the speed of the air current flowing upwardly within pipe 315 and through opening 29 into the pipe I8 and housing 26, the height of the hurdle 24, and other variable factors. e e i A hurdle in the form of a plate 24 is slidably secured on the pipe I8 by the wing nut 36 and bolt 31 which engages the slide 24 in the elongatedslot 38. The pipe I8 `is rectangular in cross section, as shown in Figs. 5 and 7. The hurdle 24 is rectangular in cross section` and projects upwardly through the bottom wall 48 of the pipe I8 into the pipe I8 and extends from one side wall 39 to the other of the pipe I8, see Fig. 8. The height of the hurdle 24, that is, the distance the hurdle 24 extends from the bottom wall 48 of the pipe I8 upwardly will be varied to suit the numerous variable factors or conditions above mentioned and also will depend upon the kind yand ythe size of the material being separated.

The pipe 35 extends vertically downwardly, as shown in Figs. l and 2, where it serves as a discharge chute for'dust and other foreign material from the expanding vermiculite.

The side wall of the tube is provided with an opening 4| which serves as an outlet for a pipe 42 which leads from, and communicates with, a pipe 49 connected to the high pressure or discharge outlet of the blower fan 44. The suction or low pressure side of the fan 44 is connected by pipe line 45 with an enlarged housing 22 which forms a cyclone' dust collector. The interior of the housing 22 is connected with the l classifier 23 by the pipe line 41. The housing 22 To this end the chute IB is inclined downwardly) is connected with the upper end of the housing I9 bythe pipe line 2|. The pipe line 2| is connected with the upper end of the housing 26 by the pipe line 46. Thus, as shown by the arrows in Fig. 2, pipe 46, pipe 2|, housing 22, and

pipe 45 connect the dust eliminating housing 26 with the suction side of the fan 44 and pipes 43, 42 and 35 connect the housing 26 with the high pressure or outlet side of the blower fan 44. Pipe .line- 43 leads to a dust sack 48.

The chamber 26 is provided with an incandownwardly along the bottom wall 48 of the pipe I8. Preferably the hurdle 24 projects upwardly from the bottom 48 into the pipe I8 a sufficient distance such that the distance between the top edge 55 and a line dropped perpendicularly therefrom to the bottom wall 48 of the pipe I8 is approximately the same length as the Adepth of the exfoliated vermiculite flowing down the pipe I8. ,As the exfoliated vermiculite reaches theopening 29, the upward blast of air elevates the exfoliated vermiculite fragments which are relatively light compared to any stones and crude vermiculite that is present in the stream of material flowing down `the chute I8. Thus, as the exfoliated vermiculite reaches the opening 29 it is elevated out of its normal course parallel to the bottom 48 of the chute I8 and dlverted or .caused to' jump the hurdle 24 where it passes out of the air stream and falls downwardly to the bottom 480i theflpipe I8 beyond opening 29 and again resumes its downward course and finally passes into theolassifer 23. The classifierv 23' may be a conventional grain classifier which classifies the expanded vermiculite. fragments ac-f cording to size.

Since the stones and crude ore are heavier than the expanded vermiculite'this foreign material is not elevated by the upward blast of air, but strikesthe baille 24 and falls downwardly through l chute llt.

l through the opening Ztl carries all of the dustand the opening t9 into the waste material discharge The upward blast of air passing the lighter' fragments oi' exfoliated vermiculite upwardly in the chamber Zt. The dust and those fragments sulciently fine to pass through the mesh 2l are carried by the air current upwardly through the pipe line it into the pipe 2l and dust above described is for separating dust, stones and other undesirable material from exfoliated ver-7 miculite, it is understood that this apparatus and method can be used for separating dust, stones,

Vnails and other undesirable materials from other fragmentary material similar in nature to ex- `foliated vermiculite, such yas asbestos, wheat, oats and other grains, feathers, cereals, granular corlr. In cleaning grains the dust would be collected as hereinabove described, the chai would follow the path of the exfoliated vermiculite and the grain, which is the heavier material, would fall down the chute 35.

The size oi the openingZQ and the height of the baille 24 will be determined by the weight of the material that isfbeing passed through the sepi arator, the velocity of the upwardly owing air stream and the other variable factors abovementioned. The point is that this apparatus can be used for separating fragmentary or granular.

materials having diierent weights for like vol- The system is adjusted so that more air is taken out of housing 26 through pipe 46 than is put into housing 26 through pipes 42 and 35;

Therefore, more air is taken in to housing 2d through pipe I8. 'I'his prevents dust from blow ing out Voi.' the machine into the plant in which it is installed.

The suction in pipe I6 is necessary as well as the pressure in pipe 42. The pressure head in lines 43. 42 and 35 is constant because the blower foliated vermiculite and debris moves by gravita` tion, a closed circuit for eilecting a flow oi air across the said' runway comprising blower means and pipe lines connected to the inlet and outlet sides of the blower means; an enlarged chamber connected below the runway to the pressure air line and above the runway to the suction air line for slowing down the velocity of the air forced into the enlarged chamber by the pressure air llne,the pressure pipe line being operatively 'connected with the runway to producean upward blast of air across the line of travel of said exfoliated vermiculite and debris and-the suction air" line being positioned above the runway wheree from the exfoliated vermiculite.

2. A machine for separating fragments of exfoliated vermiculite from debris such as stones and unexfoliated fragments oi vermiculite, cornprising an inclined runway along which the exfoli-ated vermiculite and debris moves by gravitation, a closed circuit for effecting a flow of air across the said runway comprising blower means and pipe lines connected to the inlet and outlet sides of the blower means, an enlarged chamber connected below the runway to the pressure air line and above the runway to the suction airline for slowing down the velocity of the air forced into the enlarged chamber by thepressure air line, the pressure pipe line being operatively connected with the runway to produce an upward blast of air across the line of travel of said err-E foliated vermiculite and debris and the suction air line being -positioned above the runway whereby as the exfoliated fragments of vermiculite and debris travel along the runway the up draft of air carries the smaller fragments of exfoliated verxnculite upwardly into the enlarged chamber and then into the suction air line and deiiects the larger friagments of exfoliated vermiculite out of their normal line of travel to separate the debris from the exfoliated vermiculite, and a collector connected in the suction air line for sep= arating the smaller fragments of eoliated vermiculite from the air in the suction line.

. 3. A machine for separating fragments of exfoliated vermiculite from debris such as stones and unexfoliated fragments .of vermiculite, comprising an inclined runway along which the ex foliated vermiculite and debris moves by gravitation,a baille spaced from the end of the runway and positioned in the line of travel of said exfoliated vermiculite and debris, a closed circuit` for eilecting a flow of air across the said runway comprising blower means and pipe lines connected to the inlet and outlet sides of the blower means, `an enlarged chamber connected below the runway to the pressure air line and above the runway to the suction` air line for slowing down the velocity of the air forced into the eni larged chamber by the pressure air line, a wire mesh positioned across the said enlarged chamber between the pressure air line inlet and the suction air line outlet for separating the exfoli- 'ated vermiculite dustlfrom the larger fragments air line being positioned above the runway whereby as the exfoliated fragments of vermiculite and ,debris travel along the runway the up `draft of air carries the smaller fragments of exfoliated vermiculite upwardly into the enlarged chamber and then into the suction air line and deflects the f uns. ou 

